Hi, I've recently bought several pieces of great pottery which I think are from Polperro pottery. There seems to be very little about this pottery on the web and a comment on Ceramike saying 'Do not look in BSPM as not listed properly'. The BSPM book certainly doesn't show the impressed P in a square which is on my pieces. If fellow members of this site can confirm that this is a Polperro mark then I'll upload this image to the labels, signatures and backstamps section as a reference. I'm pretty convinced from the picture on ceramike and the comment by Christian Robinson on it, but being a cautious soul I'd like to get confirmation for the example below. This is my first post on this site so apologies if I'm not doing it right!Thanks,Marie.

Thanks for the welcome message Skay . Hi Dantheman. The digital museum of Cornish Ceramics has quite a few empty spaces in their image column from what I recall. They are welcome to use my image if it's helpful. I wondered if anyone on this forum knew the Polperro mark?Marie.

Christian Robinson - I can confirm that this was made by my father Frank Robinson of Polperro Pottery. It would have been made around 1972 as he was not really well enough after that, dying in March 1974 aged 42.

HelloMy name is Christian Robinson, Frank Robinson's son, and I may be able to clear up a couple of queries regarding the thread (http://www.20thcenturyforum.com/t9657-polperro-pottery) about Polperro Pottery. We moved to Polperro in 1966 and Dad set up a pottery and a small shop at the top end of Polperro called Crumplehorn. He potted there until March 1974 when he died of cancer aged 42.

The P mark is definitely that of Polperro Pottery. We had a large collection of pots around the house and Bernard Leach would have been an influence. After he died his wife, Angie Robinson, keep the shop and other potters came and used the pottery. The P mark continued to be used by Roberta Norris, Dad's long-time assistant, until the late 70s. Colin Jacobs and Steve Harland came and potted there from '74 to the early '80s. She then sold up and it became a gift shop.

Regarding Marie Ann's pot: the photographs are small, but I would definitely say that my Dad made this somewhere around '68-71.

The owl moneybox is indeed Paula Humphris, She lived further down the village. Her pottery was called The Paula Humphris Pottery; we were Polperro Pottery.

Regarding Naomi's jam pot: Hmmm. This was possibly made by Frank Robinson, but it could have been Roberta. I can't remember if she worked on a wheel, but she did continue to use the P stamp. The lid looks like the correct one as I remember the pattern.

The 'trains' were slip cast after 1975. I think there was an attempt to 'mass produce' a few items to boost a declining business (Polperro began to attract more coach parties and people less interested in sudio pottery). Why trains? Good question. The 'potter' was an American called Chris Hay who liked trains. I don't think they were a great success.

The little pig is possibly from the pottery. I need to see an in focus shot of the mark. It may have been another slip cast venture.

I hope this is of some use, and am heartened to know that bits of Dad's pottery are still around and being appreciated.

Should you have any further questions, I am more than willing to try and answer them.

Kind regardsChristian Robinson

Last edited by skay on December 6th 2012, 9:18 pm; edited 1 time in total

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I bought a job lot of mainly post-Robinson Polperro at auction last week. Here are some photos including the derided train which I don't think is actually that bad; well, it's okay if you're a Tremar fan!

The Chris Hay designed train has the simple impressed 'P' on the underside of each piece.

Teapot with Steve Harland's monogram.

Steve Harland small vase.

Two Harland side plates.

Harland vase.

Unmarked vase which I'm assuming is Polperro - certainly looks the same colours and glaze next to a marked piece.

Nicely potted small vase with wide rim.

The glaze has run into the impressed name but it looks to be Polperro.

The impressed mark can be deciphered as Polperro in the right light.

Unmarked but, again, right colours and glaze. That also goes for the following three owls...

And finally the Steve Harland monogram again but with a different pottery mark - see